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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

More people order out for Thanksgiving dinner

Keith Burton, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Springfield, said he thinks people are re-evaluating how to spend the holiday.

“I think it’s a reflection of the growing mindfulness of the time-versus-money tradeoff,” Burton said. “We’re seeing more and more folks choosing to place value on time over money.”

His family made a similar choice recently.

Every Nov. 24, the extended family treks to Wisconsin where the potluck meal always had been crowned with his grandmother’s turkey. Four years ago, the centerpiece was swapped with store-bought fried chicken.

“There were some folks who kind of huffed. It pretty much split along the lines of who liked fried chicken,” Burton said. “Now, it’s become ‘the thing.’ I’d be disappointed if (fried chicken) was missing.

Burton's comments were featured in an November 22, 2011, article in The State Journal-Register.